SERVIRE ET PRAESIDIO
of the Holy Father +JDC
on incidents of police brutality against civilians
1.) As the spiritual caretakers of the majority of citizens in the United States of Argonath, it is the pastoral duty of our Church to uphold the well-being of all Children of Sauron in this life and the next. While the law enforcer, the law-abider, and the law-breaker are all equally important in the eyes of our Lord and Creator, our duty of care becomes more important when looking after the weak, the poor, and the marginalized, who are unable to protect themselves.
2.) In recent times, we have seen a disturbing amount of incidents of police brutality suffered by civilians at the hands of law enforcement as a result of APBs. While initially intended as a measure for law enforcers to keep one another informed of threats to the safety of our citizens, APBs have, in practice, become de facto warrants which leave civilians no choice but to face arrest, death, or escaping from the law as fugitives. Several of the victims of these incidents, seeking spiritual and physical sanctuary with the Church, have complained about being pursued and prosecuted by law enforcers through APBs, in some instances only facing formal charges (/su) when the pursuing law enforcers are assured of their success in arrest or termination.
3.) Members of the Church engaged in a peaceful protest against police brutality last Tuesday, February 2, after the first SAPD Award Ceremony of the year 2021. Protester John Wick ([DS]Jwick) was arrested on charges of weapon possession despite remaining peaceful, while Pope +JDC was arrested on charges of organizing a protest without a permit. After waiving his rights to an investigation, the Holy Father was released from prison several days later, following negotiations between legal representatives of the Church and the Government.
4.) Five days later, on February 7, Members of the Church (led by Pope +JDC and Father Gruia_Collin) attended a Press Conference convened by the SAPD’s Spokesperson and Public Affairs Division Head, Lieutenant Margaret_Porowski. The attendees present criticized the law enforcement’s use of APBs resulting in the excess use of lethal and nonlethal force. While we commend the statements of Lt. Porowski that the duties of law enforcement should also protect citizens’ civil liberties, we also hope that other law enforcers share that commitment in the practice of their duties.
5.) As the spiritual leader of the Church and also for and in behalf of the citizens protesting for their civil liberties, Pope +JDC voices the following four demands for the law enforcement authorities of the United States of Argonath and the State of San Andreas:
First, that law enforcers, in carrying out their duties of protecting the peace, do not unjustly trample on the rights and civil liberties of our citizens by disregarding the constitutional right to remain innocent until proven guilty;
Second, that law enforcers cease the use of APBs to pursue and prosecute citizens without formal charges (/su) or a proper warrant from a Court or other Constitutionally-assigned high authority. Such practices a.) violate the civil liberties of Argonath citizens by removing the target’s freedom to live in safety and by allowing punishment without formal charges (/su), and b.) violate the separation between the police power of law enforcement agencies and the judicial authority of the Courts, as even rank-and-file law enforcers, by using the APB as a de facto warrant, can usurp the authority of the Court to charge citizens outside of active crime incidents and formal investigations;
Third, that a full and immediate suspension be enforced on all use of the APB in its current form, to remain in effect until the “new system” of APBs is rolled out by the San Andreas Police Department (SAPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI);
Fourth, that law enforcers who choose to disregard the civil liberties of the innocent by violating the above, be brought to justice.
It is our prayer that our law enforcement authorities grant these demands, so as to protect the rights and freedoms of our fellow Children of Sauron, to address the root causes of the recent civil unrest, and to restore the trust of our citizens in the law enforcers whose duty it is to serve and protect them.
With the blessings of Sauron,
+JDC p.p.
Pope of the Holy Church of Argonath
From the Cathedral of Saint Elrond, San Fierro, on Sunday, 7th February, in the year of our Lord 2021, the first of our pontificate.
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